Photos 13 Sep 2009 07:55 am
Larry Gelbart & SundayPhoto Grabbag
- Back in 1995 a film of mine, Whitewash, won the Humanitas prize. This is a Hollywood award for writing a film that celebrates humanity. (The official website says this: “Stories that affirm the human person, probe the meaning of life, and enlighten the use of human freedom.”) the award is presented to the writer. Ntozake Shange would receive the prize. I did the treatment, she wrote the first draft and I did the last two. I gave and give her full credit.
She didn’t want to go to the ceremony. It sounded like a treat to me, so I went out to pick it up for her. (There was also one for me.)
I flew to LA for the day and got there in time for the ceremony. When it came time, they called out her name (with a little difficulty), and I went up. My short thankful speech opened with, “It may surprise you but I’m not Ntozake Shange.” There was a big laugh from the group and just at that point, my day was made. There at the center front table laughing very hard was Larry Gelbart. Whatever else happened that day I don’t remember. I had made one of my writing heroes laugh. That was my real Humanitas prize. I also got to meet him later.
I was saddened to my core yesterday when I’d read that he had died. So many people this year, the grief is almost overwhelming.
- When you take a lot of photos looking for themes to present, you end up with a pictures that don’t quite belong, but they’re interesting enough to hold on to them. Today I’m going to stick my hand into that grabbag of picture leftovers and put them up as a bunch of photos that didn’t quite belong. About half of these were sent by my friend Steve Fisher. Since they’re the more interesting pics, I’ll group them all in the latter half.
As you know by now, I can’t get enough of Psychic shop photos.
I took this one of the only Psychic I’ve seen with an ATM shop
installed just outside the front door. Handy.
The other night, we had a full moon with lots of passing clouds.
This was the view from 59th Street and Lexington Ave for about
two full minutes. Clouds rolled in and covered it immediately.
The full moon might have explained this protected street lamp.
“Step away from the Saint.”
A gem from Steve Fisher.
I’ve always been a sucker for shots of grass with lots of deep focus.
Trite and clichéd, but it gets me going.
The same goes for telephoto shots capturing color temperatures.
I’m not good at taking these photos, but that won’t stop me.
Steve Fisher has a different kind of eye. He turns two overlapping
trees into a Jackson Pollack.
Just take a step or three back and
you get a different kind of Art.
Likewise his shot of this sky is more evocative.
Isn’t this a scene from Dumbo?
These shots of signs by Steve were more than evocative.
Our society inside out.
Steve shot these pictures at a local street fair in Queens.
Finally, how could I not end with a shot of the studio cat,
Robbie, watching PONYO dance across the waves.
on 14 Sep 2009 at 8:56 am 1.Ray Kosarin said …
It’s very sad Larry Gelbart is gone. A great talent with a good ethic; a brilliant artist who pretended to no loftier ambition than to entertain, and never lost sight that entertaining well was hard work.
He said one of the most important and telling things I think I’ve heard anyone say about storytelling. Writers now, he said, draw inspiration from the television they saw growing up, whereas writers of his generation grew up not watching television but playing stickball in the street, and wrote about life.
on 17 Sep 2009 at 12:01 pm 2.Chelsea Kopacsi said …
Whaaat only one comment? o.o I think these photos of lancdscapes are always inspiring. and hey, i’m one for those scening opening scencery with the grass closeups and tree shots. And honestly your guys cat, watching and being captivated by Ponyo? Hillariously cute